


Wait! But Do You Love Me?

by idoesntshine



Series: WAIT for Hueningkai ships [4]
Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: Band! Hueningkai, Beomgyu is mysterious, Hueningkai is oblivious, Inspired by Lemon Demon Eighth Wonder, Kai is a drummer, M/M, Strangers to Lowkey Enemies to Lovers (maybe), Student hierarchy kind of bullshit, This is also inspired from Drama, quite slowburn, thats all im gonna say, this fanfic has revolved around alot about Gef the talking mongoose and im not sorry, trans Beomgyu, trans matter!!, vague FTM! Beomgyu, yeonbin if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 18:13:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28960758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idoesntshine/pseuds/idoesntshine
Summary: Kai is a popular band member drummer in their school. He's friends with other popular kids.He gets away with anything for it making his highschool life easy, but of course not for one thing and that is Choi Beomgyu.A ghost or a mystery, no one actually knows Choi Beomgyu.Until Kai saw a note:“I have hands, I have feet, I am a freak”and that is the beginning of everything.
Relationships: Choi Beomgyu/Huening Kai
Series: WAIT for Hueningkai ships [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1914862
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Wait! But Do You Love Me?

**Author's Note:**

> LOOK. RUNAWAY JAPANESE ERA HUENINGKAI WITH BOBBY PINS IS THE OVERALL INSPIRATION OF THIS.

  
Kai would agree with the statement that being famous is a helpful ton in their school. if he isn't known by everyone he might've not created the music band club or get close and befriend Soobin, Yeonjun, and Taehyun afterward. 

Soobin is famous for being the principal's grandson and the school's student president, Yeonjun, however, is famous for being a champion in a dance competition in their school and Taehyun is a genius that became well known and famous for absolutely killing everyone in quizzes and never have left the first spot on every ranking.

Kai is a drummer in their band, he's also in the same class with Taehyun and sits beside him. The teachers let him sleep mid-class for the reason _'He had a concert last night'_. Sometimes when they're in the cafeteria everyone would let Kai cut the line in to buy food.

He takes anything in his life easy, his grades, his homework, the night concerts, and him attending school the next day. Hanging out with Soobin, Yeonjun, and Taehyun after school eating pizza, skating, and playing basketball. Even Taehyun tutor's him very strictly. 

Well, but of course there's one thing that he could never figure out. Choi Beomgyu the resident 'nerd' as they call him, wears checkered and beanie's, he wears glasses and has braces. He could probably name all the classic games and music and maybe could even tell all the differences between dinosaurs of all kinds but Kai doesn't know if they are true because no one actually knows _Choi Beomgyu_.

It's not like Choi Beomgyu is a myth or a ghost, but he does seem like one as Taehyun told him one time when they were hanging out in a park and he has asked him about their quietest classmate. "Maybe he's just still shy." he would say to Taehyun, who'd shrug at him.

"He's been in our class for two months now and he never really talked."

  
The only thing that Kai has probably gotten knowledge about Beomgyu aside from all the assumptions that Taehyun has was that when one-time Beomgyu left a piece of paper in his own desk after their algebra class has ended. Kai was assigned to clean the room that day and he noticed the paper that was on the table with a rock pinning it down not to flee away.

When he picked up the paper he'd thought that he would see some doodles or even some scratch of formula from their lesson earlier but instead, he just saw the words **'I have hands and I have feet, I am a freak' -the talking mongoose. VERY REAL.'**

and Kai had laughed loudly after he read that. 

It's really not that funny and he probably just have a low sense for jokes but hey, he immediately thought about how their quiet and shy classmate Choi Beomgyu who always hides in his hoodies and jackets is interested in animals and specifically ones who talks like a human. The end of the note 'VERY REAL' really made Kai lose it though.

As per se, it's not like Kai actually gained knowledge from Beomgyu from the notes but that was the only beginning of it.

So when Kai kept the note with him on his way home with a smile on his face. He decided to do some research about it to maybe know about Beomgyu more. Going to his handy google and thinking about whether how absurd would it be to research something about a talking mongoose and if it's something to search about.

He did saw some Wikipedia about it though. Easily searching up the talking mongoose who's actually has a name, Gef. He watched the documentary of it before he decided that Beomgyu is actually weird for quoting something about a ghost myth back in the 1930s. Kai decided to just give up on that though his mind kept spiraling about Beomgyu.

  
When the next day that Kai attended his class again. Putting down his bag and see's Beomgyu in the back corner sitting and writing down on the note, still wearing his usual black jacket and beanie. Kai has an urge to approach him, just simply ask 'Why'. Though that would be weird.

And Taehyun beside him already noticed his strangeness. Looking at him with that look in his eyes, "You know even with your bangs so long like that, I can tell that you are staring."

Kai immediately went to move quickly, sat down, and brush his bangs that are too long past his eyes, he mumbled "I was just curious." 

Taehyun rolls his eyes at him, "You know what they say, _curiosity killed the cat._ "

  
Like a ghost whenever a bell rings Beomgyu disappears from the room. Right, a second ago Kai was just innocently pretending to take something from his bag that was placed in his back just to able to look at the other and he sees him just simply writing or staring at the window, sometimes Beomgyu plays with his pen and that's all Kai remembered before he realized that time went fast and now Beomgyu's gone.

But he sees another paper on the desk that's left behind. Kai took it and this time it has a different quote that says, "Thou wilt never know what I am." which Kai could recall is another quote from Gef the Mongoose. So he did one thing he knew would be interesting. He wrote down on the bottom of the note **"-Gef :)"**

Kai doesn't know how it happened but since the first reply. The constant conversation in the notes that Beomgyu regularly leaves on his desk now has become a little routine between them. Even with the constant judging eyes, he gets from Taehyun for acting so weirdly, he still managed to keep their conversation a secret even with his very own bestfriend.

And aside from all that, no one could notice their interaction which helped a lot because any interaction that is from a famous student to a non-famous one would cause chaos. Kai remembered how he helped a girl once that slipped in front of him and then everyone started a rumor that he was in a relationship with the girl, turning everyone to bully the said girl and made her transfer away, and in exchange, they got Beomgyu.

This time Kai can converse with Beomgyu freely even if they're just talking about Gef. Funnily enough, Kai is contented with them just exchanging quotes from the talking mongoose.

But the most fun of it all was that Beomgyu has no idea who's he's talking to. One time he left a pink sticky note for the first time (when they use to exchange old scratch paper notes) with a black pen written, "Who are you?" 

And Kai being the prankster he is (maybe not as prankster as Yeonjun) he just simply wrote down "-Gef :)" like his first reply.

The next response from Beomgyu made Kai laugh. Beomgyu's replies consisted of confusion and a possible belief in his replies. "Are you really?!" replied Beomgyu from the note.

There was a time where Kai would catch Beomgyu reading his reply too. He sees a little smile even Beomgyu is always facing on the side to the window, Kai could just see his reaction into the reflection. 

Needless to say that the little 'notes' thing they have and with Beomgyu not knowing who he is, elated Kai knowing that Beomgyu smiles at his replies too. Sometimes it makes him want to reveal his name and stand upright then and there and tell Beomgyu the truth but thankfully before he could even do so, Taehyun snaps him out of his thoughts and invited him to the cafeteria.

"You know the guy I told you guys about who's threatening to take my position as the highest rank? He's almost there to beat me and Im kinda fussed." Kai ignores Taehyun ranting to Soobin who's listening with open ears. At least there's still Soobin he could talk to because Kai is on the verge of losing his life with a bet of a meal on the line.

"You better save your throne king," Soobin tells Taehyun while Kai pretends to agree and hums, but also starts to whine when Yeonjun started nudging him.

"How about you? Just let these two play?" he heard Taehyun ask Soobin, but Kai paid no mind. Yeonjun seems to get distracted for a minute then making Kai finally had a chance to beat him and for somewhat reason. He did win.

  
When Kai gets home and finished the shower, he immediately went to lay down on his bed as if the little basketball game he had with his friends earlier has deteriorated his body. Like his body is being pulled down to bed with gravity, heavy. And the fact that he still has his hair wet but he's comfortable, he knows his sister always hated this habit of his.

Kai never really listens. Not just from the constant sleep, he does at school that makes him miss out a lot on lessons and in anything in general. From his classmates talking to even sometimes to Taehyun who literally threatened him earlier of cheating. Just as Kai takes anything easy, he also pays no mind to a lot of stuff.

But of course with the things that recently happened. He remembered the note he took earlier from Beomgyu's desk which of course a message for him. Even the fact that these notes went from just quoting Gef to talking about Gef to Beomgyu talking to him makes Kai feel like there's finally something in the world to look up to and with it specifically be Beomgyu's notes.

He crawls to reach his bag that is placed on the floor beside his bed. Taking a yellow paper from the pocket, he lays it down again and holds them up high.

 ** _"Do you know the song Eighth Wonder?"_** written in the note.

He smiles widely at the note before he took his phone from his nightstand and opens his Spotify, scrolling down to his playlist full of Bruno mars, one direction, Shawn Mendez, and some Korean bands. Kai loves music a lot and he likes happy music with that music that just gives you energy. It reminds him of how he plays in his band, loud beating music that makes your heart race.

But today, he wanna know how _Choi Beomgyu_ feels.

So here's where he is searching up Eighth Wonder. He clicked the top research typing in the title before he wears his headphone, closing his eyes as he could feel his wet hair damping his bed, the music started playing.

The music starts slow with an instrumental, that sounds like old vibe music but then he hears the drum beating and he's anticipating. When the singer finally started singing and he listened closely, he soon realized that he also started laughing.

The song is just full of Gef the mongoose quotes and references. Kai continues to listen to the song on repeat, finding it a surprise of liking it but there's also one thing that made him realize that night.

When he couldn't stop smiling just imagining what could have been on Beomgyu's mind when he was listening to this song, _"Ah yes, I will write the lyrics down and put it on my desk."_ Kai feels his heart swells but most especially about how Choi Beomgyu a myth or a ghost is just actually a funny guy after all.

When the night finally appeared and soon he stopped focusing on the lyrics but feel every beat of the music. His mind was full of thoughts of only what if Beomgyu sits with them in the class instead of from the back corner? The two of them could cheat off Taehyun sneakily or what if Beomgyu could eat with them in the cafeteria? maybe he could play games with him and Yeonjun, they could both beat Yeonjun up in the game. Beomgyu seems to fit in with them after all but he knows he wouldn't want Soobin to know about Gef. Kai feels like it could be a secret thing that only he and Beomgyu would know.

Kai has grown to love the Eighth Wonder despite the meaning behind it being from the talking mongoose but he couldn't help but admire the fact that Beomgyu listens to this song. It comes to the point he asked his bandmates to listen to it too and perhaps make them like it so that they could perform the song. Kai has already practiced the drumming and all he needed left was to leave a green note on Beomgyu's desk inviting him for a special Friday night at the park.

"Why did you not tell us anything?" Soobin is beside him on the arcade, quite their bonding time as friends after school. While Taehyun and Yeonjun were hitting each other with balls that were from the basketball stand, somehow they got away from being scolded by the security.

Kai purses his lip as he focuses on catching a fish in the fishing game. "So you are really not inviting us to your special performance?" Soobin tells him again and Kai assumes he's probably done with all his coins now that he's just disturbing him.

"What?" Kai turns around to Soobin, finishing a perfect score, tickets flowing down the side. "Where did you hear that it's a special performance?"

"I'm not gonna tell," said Soobin, "So we're still uninvited?" It's not like Kai has any against inviting his friends this Friday. They've been really supportive to his band but the way Soobin is pouting at him and sounding so affected.

Kai scratches his nape glancing for a second at where Taehyun and Yeonjun are and thankfully they were far from them because then, he'd be completely helpless from the three of them. "I just have something to do and I don't want distraction."

Soobin touched his heart, offended "Are you saying we distract you?"

"Yeah!" Kai answers, "Last time Yeonjun really went up to the stage and did a freestyle dance while Taehyun literally stole our vocalist's microphone to sing and you pushed me over the stage."

"And?" Soobin answers nonchalantly, "We were awesome doing it." Kai put his hands on his head, messing up with his long bangs as Soobin chuckles at him. "Just kidding, just tell me why you don't want us there and we'd leave you."

"Promise you won't do shit?"

"Promise Hueningie!" Kai pulls out his pinky finger as Soobin did, locking a promise together.

"I'm courting someone this Friday."

Why hasn't anyone thought about courting someone as a friend? Like making an effort to that someone that has interested you out for months with curiosity and finding out that they could probably vibe with you. Kai is courting Beomgyu out as a friend to hang out, It's just that he's asking him to hang out in a way where he plays Beomgyu's favorite music that he so worked hard to learn to play and pleaded his bandmates to help him.

He might also just reveal that he's the every 'Gef' in the notes he puts on the table. Kai couldn't remember when did this start really, all he knows is that one day he kept listening to Eighth Wonder thinking about Beomgyu throughout the loops.

  
Assembled with his band finally out Friday night in the park with students wearing different uniforms and some other people who walk by gathering in front of their stage. Their band started playing a couple of songs and planned to leave out 'Eighth Wonder' at the very end of their playlist.

At first, Kai was just enjoying his time like he usually does, its easy to just play drums and enjoy, facing the crowd that seems to be having fun listening to them too but somehow today, there's something that's started to palpitate his nerves. It is maybe the fact he just realized that maybe Beomgyu doesn't want to meet him or wouldn't be able to come.

When the ending gets nearer and the crowd started getting bigger. Kai tries not to take it to the heart and just sticks to the beat of the drum. His eyes were scanning the audience from time to time, for a second he quickly went to brush his bangs away, and on the corner of the crowd, he sees familiar faces, "Kai! Go get your bitch, king!" Yeonjun cheered loud from the crowd.

Disappointed. Kai looks away quickly, so badly wanted to sigh and put his hands on his head. Oh, the embarrassment that he knew would come when Soobin told the other two about this but he should've known Soobin would snitch and tell the other two, well he hopes that at least they won't do something tonight.

"This is our last cover for today everyone, something very different was added to our playlist because of our drummer!" Their vocalist stood to the front holding his microphone and everyone is continuously cheering. "We would like to perform you guys a cover of a song called Eighth Wonder by Lemon demon!"

His bandmates starting to go back to their places, arranging tunes and getting ready and before Kai knew it, the music has started already. Kai tries to think that it would be okay if Beomgyu wouldn't be able to come, he'd just play the song.

And as soon as he started hitting the drums, he felt himself smiling, remembering the silly note exchange and the start of it all. Playing Eighth Wonder in front of a big crowd and in front of his friends that started dancing to the music. Kai felt himself that moment again.

Then the after chorus came and Kai continuously hit the beats, never missing it. He has played the song countless times that he could play it without looking, instead, his eyes look straight ahead to the crowd, seeing Beomgyu standing there looking at him in the eyes.

Kai felt electricity. Like as if the veins in his body has unraveled, almost losing control of his drum stick but he held it tight and look down, grinning. He might as well be showing off right now instead.

Multi-tasking drumming to the rhythm never being unsynced while he smiles his charms off. Something he never does for the crowd, he wants this night to be unforgettable. It's a special performance for one, after all, he wants beomgyu to never be able to forget this moment where he plays his favorite song tonight.

They finished the song and everyone cheered. Kai could hear his friends cheering and coming up the stage, Taehyun talking to their vocalist again while Yeonjun and Soobin stealing instruments. Kai looked for the crowd and saw Beomgyu went back to their stage.

So he left the others do the finishing announcement, bouncing off the stage to hurry before everyone leaves. At backstage, he sees Beomgyu standing, tapping his foot to the pavement as if he's waiting for someone. Kai beams and fixes his bangs, finally approaching the other.

He could see him more closely now and he couldn't help but feel awe at Beomgyu's overlook outfit. He isn't wearing a checkered shirt or beanies. There's just something so cool about the way Beomgyu dresses tonight, he isn't covered up as he usually does.

It's the first time that Kai saw Beomgyu have silver hair too, maybe it's a new dye but the accent of red and black in his outfit makes Beomgyu looks so stand out from everyone else. Did not want to waste any more time, he stood in front of Beomgyu, "Hello! I'm here."  
  
When Beomgyu turned to face him, Kai felt like his breath was taken. Maybe it's just because of the wind and he's just wearing a black shirt but shivers felt in his spine, once eyes met with sparkly once and Beomgyu smiles, "Nice play of Eighth Wonder."

Kai feels like his heart is combusting. Not just the fact that it's the first time he talked with Beomgyu but it feels so satisfying to hear Beomgyu like how he played the song he recommended. Kai could feel the heat on his cheeks and he knows that he must be blushing so hard right now, "It's actually for you."

"Oh yeah?" Beomgyu smirks at him in a teasing way, _"You sound like you are courting me."_

Oh god.

Kai has to blink his eyes, trying to make everything sink in. But before he could clear up his thoughts. Suddenly someone pulled his shoulder, "Yo Kai! What are you doing with some stranger huh?" Yeonjun appears beside him with the others.

Taehyun makes a space between him and beomgyu crossed arms, "Why are you talking to the nerd?" side-eyeing Beomgyu. Kai watched as he sees his friends completely ruining the special night. He watched Soobin appearing and introducing himself to Beomgyu too. _Why must it end like this?_ He thought.

  
It kinda sucks, to be honest. Kai thought that he probably have encountered the most highlight moment of his high school life. A memory that he will carry along in his college to his adult days, the one where he would start writing songs about but no, seeing Beomgyu again the next day became even worse. 

Beomgyu started to talk to everyone, without braces, without his checkered jacket. He's like a new version of Beomgyu. Who's now started to become talkative in the class. 

He now recites more and even just randomly sings in the class at a random time and jokes to professors, he even confronts Taehyun who Kai just realized that they both were rivals on quizzes and ranks than the three of them started sitting together but with Taehyun between them.

Beomgyu became so energetic too. He started eating with them at lunch and he kept playing shooting games with Yeonjun. Kai found out that he is an expert in games. He kept telling them, "I'm the mastermind of any games, I tell you!" and he has defeated Yeonjun many times without cheating which is what Kai usually does.

He is like a comedic genius, he could beat off Soobin from making the others laugh without making any old dad jokes or without many weird expressions. Soobin and he became instant best friends too and before Kai could realize that somethings off. 

Is that suddenly everyone started to become closer to Beomgyu but him.

All the assumptions about the resedent 'nerd' as the class calls him, were all true. Beomgyu told them about it once in class that he knows all the classic music, games and could tell all the difference of all kinds of dinosaurs.

Kai should be happy to learn more about Beomgyu and to finally see who he actually is but he couldn't help but miss the moments where they write notes to each other quoting Gef. Instead, he's stuck, close to Beomgyu but not as close as he wanted to be. 

He knows everything about Beomgyu now but it's the same thing as assumptions, everyone talks about it and he could hear them. Even if he's face to face with Beomgyu, he feels like talking through notes were the closest they've been and that was even before he knew him better.

"Your bangs are too long," Taehyun left the both of them in class to pass a paper to the faculty room. The chair between them didn't stop Beomgyu to lean and reach his bangs to arrange and make his eyes see more clearly in the view, being the view a smiling Beomgyu, "There, I arranged it."

"Thanks." He replies quietly, facing straight ahead again. 

"Why are you avoiding me now?" Beomgyu now went to sit in Taehyun's seat, tilting his head to look at his face. Kai tries to remain his face expressionless, looking away. 

"Im not." 

"Yeah you do," Beomgyu as persistent as he is, leans in again and now it feels like he is occupying the invisible personal bubble that Kai has, and it's the bubble where Beomgyu should be far away. "I heard from Taehyun that you guys are going to play later on the basketball court."

"Later after school." this time Kai finally looked again and their face are suddenly too close. Kai backs away quickly.

But Beomgyu didn't even flinch, "Can I come?" 

Kai decided to just give in. Beomgyu already 'fits' with them anyways, "Of course."

"Good." And in the right timing just as when Beomgyu goes back to his seat. Taehyun came between them unknowingly of what happened and Beomgyu goes back to only talking to Taehyun again.

  
It wasn't a whole surprise when Beomgyu appeared on the basketball court while they were playing, the four of them were already in the middle of the game and passing around the ball. Kai was deliberately trying not to get distracted by Beomgyu but the clumsy ass of his that keeps looking at Beomgyu through his peripheral vision has made him bounce the ball off to him.

He tried to play it cool. Might as well take the chance, while everyone waits for the ball and the four of them stood up in front of Beomgyu. Kai decided to gesture to Beomgyu to come, "Wanna play with us?" he asked.

And Beomgyu stood up from the bench, nodding his head at him with that spark in his eyes, walking towards the ring, dribbling before he jumps to shoot a score in the basket. 

Then the five of them continued to play.

After the play and everyone got tired, the other three left them to buy snacks. Leaving him and Beomgyu alone in the swings. Kai was feeling the silent wind between them before Beomgyu talked, "Thank you for inviting me," going a bit forward and backward with his swing then stopping, "You know you should have a bobby pin for your bangs." 

Beomgyu reach to touch his bangs again but he immediately went to push it on his own before he could do, "I will." he simply replied. Beomgyu gave him a silent look before smiling and started swinging beside him.

When Kai gets home after that day, he went straight to his room and lay down in his bed. Not even taking his socks off or change his shirt. He went to wear his headphones and listen to his playlist but he saw Eight Wonder on the list and decided to listen to it on loop.

He doesn't understand himself for being so avoidant of Beomgyu. Isn't it what he wanted was to be close to him and get to know him? But he does now better than before, they are talking, he knows all his favorite foods just easily as he could hear him from talking with Taehyun.

But he couldn't stop thinking about the fact that the Beomgyu from today was different from the Beomgyu he met two months ago. The quiet covered in a jacket in the middle of summer, sitting on the back corner doodling on his notes and staring into the window.

And there's this spark in Beomgyu's eyes that looks passionate about something, like stars that seem to be lost in the sky but in reality, they just want to take the whole space of the world.

  
Taehyun was so upset that Beomgyu replaced him on the first rank in high grades that he didn't come to the school the next day. He told Kai to tell the professors that he got 'sick'. Kai wonder if Taehyun is really that upset to skip school but also maybe Taehyun just needed a break. 

Beomgyu seems to pay no mind at all. Instead, he even sat beside him where Taehyun is supposed to be. "You know I didn't mean to replace Taehyun in the rankings. We were just studying a lot together so I got more knowledge." Beomgyu tells him.

"Okay," he says. Closing off his notes down. He couldn't understand any formulas at all and without Taehyun, they're much more complicated. He suddenly could tell how much Taehyun is a big help in his life. Like how he needed to be the other to be a wall between him and Beomgyu.

"You didn't wear bobby pins as I told you," Beomgyu says beside him, also not looking at his own notes at all which Kai points out.

"We have a seatwork right now." 

"Yeah but you aren't doing it either." Beomgyu giggles, "And besides I don't mind going back to the second rank maybe it would make Taehyun attend the class again."

Kai couldn't help but frown at that. He shakes his head, "Taehyun is just sick."

"Do you really think so?" Beomgyu grins at him and Kai's eyes widen. This person became even more different than he was last week.

"I trust Taehyun," he tells before going back instead to suffer in his math seatwork. 

  
Beomgyu started to flirt with Soobin for the whole week too and it started simply with "You look cute today Soobin!" to buying Soobin different kinds of pastries which all three of them knew is a way to get into Soobin's heart. 

"Huh? Why are you suddenly giving me this bracelet? It's not even my birthday yet." Soobin tells Beomgyu but welcomely opens his palms to receive them and Beomgyu just continues to tell Soobin all the compliments in the world.

Yeonjun has scoffed at what seems like a hundred times beside Kai. They were playing a game but Yeonjun is too distracted to properly play the game, and Kai sighs, "Yeonjun lets just stop playing." he tells the other, but he noticed that Yeonjun too distracted to hear him, staring at Beomgyu and Soobin talking with eyes similar when he loses a game.

Kai realized that moment that maybe they're all falling apart. _Uh oh_.

Taehyun started sitting at the back corner of the class, he told Kai that it just 'To study hard' but Kai feels his heart heavy of that. Beomgyu started sitting beside him too and all he keeps talking about was about Soobin. Yeonjun stopped coming to the cafeteria, he said that "Have to concentrate on the dance club!" but the way he's avoiding Soobin like a plaque just confirms he's upset.

Thankfully, on a Friday after school. Soobin isn't busy which means Kai can finally invite him to go to the arcades even if it's just the only two of them. 

They first talked about Taehyun. "It feels like that time again where he started saying no to us every time we invited him to play. Taehyun really takes his study seriously..."

"I'm just worried that he'll fall into the pressure like he was before," Kai sighs, "You know that Taehyun was influenced by his family to achieve the most unachievable dreams right? I'm scared that Taehyun will fall into that darkness again."

"Have you noticed Yeonjun too now recently? It feels like he's avoiding me even though he's the same with you these days."

"I dont know." Well actually, Kai has a big hunch that Yeonjun is just jealous but he won't tell Soobin that. He's not a snitch. "He's probably jealous because you and Beomgyu are always together."

"Me and Beomgyu-" Soobin opened his mouth, stuttering, his eyebrows where burrowed. "Listen. I dont know why Beomgyu is on me but I just accept his free things, I didn't know he's that rich man and you know me! I like free things."

"Gold digger?" Kai jokes then laugh when Soobin smacks him on the arm for that one which made him laugh harder. 

"And besides why would Yeonjun be so jealous when he's been doing that with you to me for like months!" Soobin sighs, calming down and looking at Kai straight to eye, "He's been paying more attention to you more now these days, you know?"

Kai was confused for a minute. Yeah, he's noticed that for the past weeks Yeonjun had always been close to him. With the games, the arm pulls and cheers from his every concert but Kai is more interested with the fact that Soobin is upset by it, "Hmm, so you two are just pushing and pulling?"

"Like you do with Beomgyu yeah." Soobin rolls his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't be stupid Kai," Soobin pointed out, "Isn't he the one you were courting at that special event? That's why I didn't really go out with him aside from the fact that I like someone who's an idiot (yeonjun) I wouldn't steal my best friend's man, you know?"

  
Kai likes a lot of things. But he likes music the most, loves it actually. He also likes algebra class even though he sucks at it so bad. He likes sitting beside Taehyun because the others help him and they talk a lot about stuff even if it's mostly gossiping about their professors. 

He also likes Yeonjun from the games they do to Yeonjun always looking out for him and includes him in anything. Don't know how to skate? Don't worry, Yeonjun will be patient teaching you. He likes Soobin too, they're the closest and it seems like all problems will disappear when he talks with the older because the other understands him the most.

Maybe it's the fact that he likes the things that are connected with him deeply. Something that he already knows and could understand, like drumming that he's an expert at.

He even forgot the whole thing about Gef, actually, he found the story of it to be so weird in the first place. He only really had an interest because of the music that was based on it.

Kai wonders why. Why would he leave a note on his table on the day that Kai would be assigned alone to clean? Why would Beomgyu pretend he didn't know him? Why did he start to act so differently after meeting him? 

The students around him used to whisper "Choi Beomgyu is a ghost"

_Who are Choi Beomgyu from the past and the one that he knows now?_

The sudden thought came crashing to Kai's brain. He couldn't sleep. This is just like the same back when he wanted to apologize to the girl before she went away. He just woke up from class and all he heard from their professor announced her disappearance was that _"Beomgyu will attend classes next month please look forward to that."_

  
Soobin started rejecting Beomgyu's gifts. Even the ice cream tubs that Soobin always loves to have, he said no and at that point it means rejection. When Yeonjun saw what happened, he started going back to his usual self again, even Kai have to point out, "I thought you were gonna be busy with dance club?" but Yeonjun shyly shakes his head and sing songs with a wide smile plastered on his face.

Kai looks up to Beomgyu's reaction and weirdly enough, he didn't look heartbroken at all. Beomgyu still eats with them at the cafeteria like nothing happened. The usual seat of him at the table where he's always beside Soobin has now changed to being beside him.

And to add more things in the mix, while Soobin and Yeonjun were talking (topic being Yeonjun) Beomgyu butted in, "You know I used to have a crush on Yeonjun because he was so cool before." Kai stopped scooping up his ice cream from the tub. Frozen. 

"What do you mean because I was cool before?" Yeonjun feigned being offended, "I'm still cool and cooler than Soobin!" Soobin instantly smacks Yeonjun's arm making the other laugh loudly unbothered. Kai shakes his head and continues to eat the ice cream that they're all now sharing, he noticed that Soobin gave him a look too.

Beomgyu chuckles beside him, "But I've moved on had a crush on Soobin but of course! I've moved on too" said Beomgyu despite that he was just rejected minutes ago.

"You still don't like any either of us, do you?" Soobin asked Beomgyu dead on the spot.

either of us?

Beomgyu sighs before responding, "No."

Kai didn't realize that he stopped eating and was staring blankly. He flinched when he heard Beomgyu saying no, somehow he felt himself going close to Taehyun who's been there all this time reading a book.

He doesn't know what's wrong with him to be so upset about Beomgyu having a liking towards Yeonjun before and sure, it kind of feels like a heavyweight has been lifted off his shoulder when Beomgyu accepted Soobin's rejection. But Kai couldn't help but keep wondering.

When the three of them went back to their own class. Taehyun was about to go back to the corner again but Beomgyu went to stop and held his wrist, Kai looks at it. "Taehyun why don't you sit with us again? Let's study together." Taehyun smiles at Beomgyu shaking his head then goes back to his seat in the corner.

Beomgyu sat down helpless and pouting. Kai silently sits down, sighing. There's a space between them that's been like it since earlier and Beomgyu still hasn't given up asking Taehyun to sit between them. "Can you drag Taehyun again to sit with us? Please?" Beomgyu held his hand just like how he held Taehyun's.

Kai looked at Beomgyu, some of his bangs hurt his eyes but feel like the contact is itchy. Like something he wants to push or break away and maybe it's been building up since Beomgyu kept talking about his likings for Soobin and Yeonjun. "Why do you even need Taehyun when I am here?" Kai asked Beomgyu staring at him in the eyes.

All of a sudden, there's this electricity in his veins that's about to pop. Kai snaps, "Are you just using me to get close to my friends?" he asked again, this time Beomgyu's hand lets his go away, _"Why do I always have to watch you fall for everyone but m-"_

"I wasn't trying to flirt with all of your friends Kai," Beomgyu answered, his voice stern with a hint of pain, and Kai regretted what he said instantly, "Sorry, then" Beomgyu gave a sad look before looking away from him.

When Kai looked down on his table he felt his hands were shaking. He started to realize the whispers around them rising, just like the day Kai made someone go away.

  
His Friday was lonely. Taehyun is still busy with the upcoming ranking quiz exam. Yeonjun and Soobin went out somewhere without inviting him and Beomgyu didn't appear at the school after that day. Kai was glad that he didn't though because rumors about Beomgyu have been going around.

There were rumors of him dating Soobin but got rejected, Beomgyu and Yeonjun too but Beomgyu getting friendzone and a whole enemies-to-lovers-to-strangers kind of thing about Taehyun. Somehow he heard none about himself. It's like everyone is avoiding the two of them too and Kai doesn't know what to feel about that.

Thankfully he has a band night tonight. He could get off his mind about Beomgyu and the whole school shit, just like the old times where he stays awake at night playing to sleep the whole day next. He played drums and guitar the whole afternoon before their performance tonight. 

Their vocalist came up to him, "Hey are we playing Eighth Wonder later?"

Kai almost forgot about Eighth Wonder, leaving a bitter taste to him. "No, I think we can play another song instead," he answered.

"Oh?" Their vocalist looks at him surprised, "You use to love the song so much you could play it all by yourself."

Kai scoffs, looking away, "Let's just cover Who do you love by Black Skirts."

The vocalists laugh, "Kai are you in love?"

"Huh?" Kai looks at their vocalist who smiles goofily at him. Their vocalist is an easy-going guy, voice smooth like a smoothie, and could probably read everyone like an open book.

"When you asked us to play Eighth Wonder, we never saw you being so intrigued and interested, you are like on a mission to complete the song and once you've learned it, you play it like your own." The vocalist smiles, "But now you didn't even talk about it once or listened to it."

It's true that Kai has stopped listening to the song. He does see it when he scrolls pasts over his 'most played tracks' and tries to avoid but after what happened with Beomgyu he feels like could never listen to the song again after all the song was from Beomgyu.

"Don't worry, I like singing Who do you love. It just really asks real questions, you know?" the vocalists added. "Also, how's Taehyun? I haven't heard from him in a while."

"He's fine. Just busy studying, I can't get him out of his strict self." Kai sighs, "I've been distracted by my own too."

The vocalist patted his shoulder, "Don't worry as soon as we figured the shit out dude we would play songs without caring to the world anymore."

It's the first time that Kai plays the drum so slowly, so sad and paced. It wasn't the usual hype and fast and beating, this time it's like quietly listening. Kai listens to the words that their vocalist sing and couldn't help but remember Beomgyu.

He feels like he wanted to stop moving his hands. He feels like wanting to stop the song.

Since when did Beomgyu invade and revolve around his world now? 

Maybe this will be the highlight of his high school life but it isn't the coming of age thing he wanted. Instead, it's where he found someone who appeared in his life like a note with a rock pinning it down, with a quote from a mystery that no one seems to would care about.

If Beomgyu occupies all of the things he loves and cares might as well he could be the _Choi Beomgyu_ that all of his music would be about.

  
The way that is popular in their school works is that everything could be easy for you once you made it onto the top. Kai was popular since he's musically famous. Though if he interacts with someone that no one knows about, everyone would make a big deal out of it.

But there would be also the people who become 'famous' in the hardest and worst way and some of them wouldn't be able to make it and go away. Nobody cares if they don't know you, they would care too much if you're famous and they would be careless around you if you're in a rumor.

Kai found out that everyone almost made a rumor about Taehyun ever since him going ranking down and leaving his famous title of never to be beaten rank 1 but then a new rumor about Taehyun has started to go around, _he's dating someone._

The first thing that went up on Kai's mind was Beomgyu.

It didn't even make him feel better when he sees a red note with a rock pinning it down. The note says, **"Party at my house tonight pls come. Soobin, Yeonjun, and Taehyun would be there too -Gef :)"**

Kai hesitated to come. What if Beomgyu announced that he's now dating Taehyun? Kai doesn't even wanna see it. He'll have to watch Beomgyu fall in love with somebody else that's not him again. 

But he still did come to the party, he found the address from Soobin, and even though he's third-wheeling Yeonjun and Soobin. He's fine with that. Surprisingly Beomgyu's house was full of people and some of them are familiar, their classmates maybe? Kai sees his band members there too that surprised him, he soon left the two lovers to chat with his bandmates.

The music that is playing is coming from the speakers, it was too loud but they sound fine. "Yo, your friend has a good taste in music." said his other bandmate. The song that is playing is Summertime by My chemical Romance which they play sometimes. 

"Where's our dear vocalist?" Kai asked, avoiding the mention of his 'friend' being 'Beomgyu'

"Out with someone probably." Kai left his group alone excusing himself that he's just going to find their vocalist, who he soon sees on the corner talking with Taehyun. Then as soon as the song changed to Eighth Wonder Kai had a moment of realization.

_Taehyun is dating their vocalist._

"There you are!" Kai was startled when someone tried to cover his eyes, he turns to look and see that it was Beomgyu, who's smiling widely at him.

"Beomgyu?" he asked.

"Obviously!" Beomgyu answered, "You really should cut your bangs if you're that blind Kai."

Kai brushes his bangs on the side, "I forgot to buy bobby pins."

"Don't worry! I have some," Beomgyu held his hand, "Come with me?"

  
When Beomgyu opened his room, its a room that he didn't expect from him. He'd thought that the walls would be full of posters of comics or band or heroes. He thought there would be a lot of trophies and medals showed around but Beomgyu's room is a simple black and white room, he has paintings on his walls and a bear on his bed.

"You can sit down while I look for it okay?" The door closes behind them. Beomgyu didn't open the lights on, but the moon illuminating from the window was perfect and even to help Beomgyu look in his drawer.

Kai decided to sit on the white carpeted rug on the floor. He crossed his legs there and still look around, the desk is messy, there were picture frames and all on the table too. Kai tries to look better, but his bangs cover his eyes.

"Here," Beomgyu sat down beside him to the floor, handing him a hair clip. "That was mine when I still have long hair."

"Thanks," Kai brushed his bangs to the side slightly before clipping it. His vision is more clearer. "Does it look okay?" he asked Beomgyu facing him.

Beomgyu looks at him with bright eyes, "Pretty." that's all he said but it made Kai's heart beat loudly and makes him smile.

"You're even prettier now that you are smiling." Beomgyu continues.

"Thanks." Kai blushes.

The song from outside of the room could still be heard but slightly. The eighth Wonder has already finished and surprisingly he heard Who Do You Love next. Making Kai look at Beomgyu with wide eyes, "Did you..?"

"Yeah, I was there when you guys played it." Beomgyu tells him, "You looked so sad that day."

"I was... I'm sorry about what happened and what I said to you." 

"No, it's fine." Beomgyu chuckles, "You were just being jealous right?"

Kai pushes his knees together and hugs them, hiding his face to his arms before nodding his head and hummed quietly.

"You know I really liked your band a lot. I use to just attend every Friday night you guys play. I was so used to being your crowd until that day you know?" Beomgyu smirks, "The day you finally noticed me."

"When?" Kai asks.

"When you helped me when I slipped. Though I didn't want you to see me that way." 

"I can't remember."

"Good because back then I was still waiting for my transition."

"Wait!" Kai paused, "You were..?"

"Yeah, you idiot." Beomgyu laughs, "I took like, a month off from school to deal with it but after I came back I was still going through a lot until the day you played Eighth Wonder in your band I felt like I could face the world."

Kai couldn't stop staring at Beomgyu at this moment. All questions that have been spiraling on his mind fading away. "I didn't know out of all things, Gef would connect us."

"Weren't the notes are for me?"

"Wow," Beomgyu chuckles, "Feeling special? The eighth Wonder was like, the thing that helped me through my bad times and I just kept writing the lyrics over and over again until I could find something new to make me happy."

"Hey, Beomgyu?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you really liked Yeonjun and Soobin?"

"Are you believing in the rumors too?"

"Didn't you said them?"

"I was making my own rumors, Kai. It's my way to fit in with you guys. When everyone started making rumors about us, it's only then that people started recognizing me. I bet you never forgot about that either because being famous in our school revolves around rumors."

"Yeah, I kind of never forgot what happened between us."

"Then I'm satisfied." said Beomgyu, "You know the phrase, Curiosity killed the cat but satisfaction brought it back?"

Kai suddenly thought of Taehyun telling him that, "There's a continue to that?" 

"Yeah! And right now I am satisfied." Beomgyu grins.

And Kai nods his head. "I'm glad to finally know."

"What about you?" Beomgyu asks him.

"Not really," he answered. Tapping on to the bear design in his hairclip. "There's still one question left in my mind actually." he smiles, "And I'd leave that to wonder."

When Beomgyu went to reflect his position, hugging his knees and laying his head on his arm, facing him. The both of them sitting on the white rug on the floor alone in the room while everyone else outside is partying.

Kai finally understands Beomgyu without the other saying it all and It didn't matter that much. Right at this moment, he'd like to think that highlights of highschool were never a thing but instead. Beomgyu coming into his life is a whirlwind thing that happened to him.

And he'd let the world know about it.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope whoever reads this whole whirlwind romance had a nice time 💛


End file.
